Opportunity is at the heart of the American Dream, and at the heart of opportunity is a job. When the right person fills the right job, we all benefit—families, neighborhoods, businesses. We all grow and prosper. Yet, there’s a disconnect in our country.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and U.S.-India Business Council convened on April 14 to discuss best practices in promoting local economic empowerment, and identify and address barriers to entrepreneurship for women and youth. Participants had the opportunity to engage with stakeholders from the Indian private sector, government and NGOs, and more.

With every advance in automation and artificial intelligence, the American workplace changes. While changing employment demands are obvious in information technology, they are no less pronounced in energy, health care, manufacturing, and other sectors that have long relied on manual labor.

For most U.S. businesses, employee churn creates a costly challenge. Employers can spend 16-20% of an individual’s yearly salary to hire and train entry-level employees, and as much as 50% or more in specialized sectors.